Park Hills has full slate of business for tonight's meeting

By PAULA BARR
Daily Journal Staff Writer

Published: Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Updated: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 11:08 AM CST

Park Hills City Council will again hear complaints about its leash law during tonight’s meeting at city hall.

During the 7 p.m. regular monthly meeting, which was rescheduled from last week, the council also will address issues including changes in a compensation ordinance to allow council members to choose not to be paid for their service, revisions to the pay matrix, appointment of a municipal judge, a contract for installation of Leadington booster station, and the annual Christmas decoration contest. The meeting follows a 6:30 p.m. executive session at the Park Hills Depot Conference Room.

During public session, Tom and Kim Gibson have asked to present their side in an attack involving at least four dogs, all of which were being walked on leashes.

In July, Peggy Thomas asked the city to tighten an ordinance that deals with vicious dogs. She told the council that her two dogs were attacked by two other dogs on March 21 while she was in a wheelchair. All the dogs were on leashes, but the other owner could not control her animals and they ran across the street after Thomas’s dogs and her neighbor’s dog, Thomas said.

One of the large dogs bit and shook Thomas’ Yorkshire terrier. The vet bill came to $94.10. She reported the attack to police and the case went to Municipal Court. In response, the city passed an ordinance that makes clear a dog or cat will not be declared vicious unless it has bitten, scratched, clawed or otherwise attacked a person, dog or cat two times without unreasonable provocation. A police report or court appearance is not necessarily required for both attacks. Evidence of a past attack is admissible as evidence, as is the conduct of the victim. The owner of a vicious dog or cat is responsible for keeping that animal restrained from running at large in the city at any time.

The Gibsons also want the ordinance amended and blames the city for the fine Kim Gibson had to pay in municipal court.

According to the couple’s request to speak, they believe the city’s leash law is weak.

“The way the law is written now, you don’t even have to have your dog on a leash!” Thomas Gibson wrote. “When my wife was walking our dogs on a 6-foot leash, a woman in a wheelchair had three dogs on 25-foot expandable leashes. When her small dogs attacked our dogs, my wife got a fine and was found guilty of a city ordinance.

“The city’s lack of a leash law cost my family $215 plus the stress of a trial! My dog hurt her dog, and that made us guilty.”

City ordinances state that animal ownership is a responsibility that includes mandates for care and maintenance. For example, owners may not allow dogs or cats to run free at any time within city limits. Animals found at large are taken to the pound.

The city also requires dogs and cats to have annual rabies vaccinations. Owners must be able to show a current certificate of vaccination. Failure to do so is a city ordinance violation. By law in the city, owners are responsible for the actions of their cat or dog and are required to keep their pet from injuring life or property.

Violation of the animal ordinances could result in a fine, jail time, restitution, or a combination of any of the three.

Following reports by City Administrator John Kennedy, the council will address an ordinance that establishes rules for increasing council compensation, decreasing compensation for the municipal judge and establishing rates of compensation for the city attorney and city counselor. The ordinance provides an opportunity for councilmen to opt out of receiving compensation.

The council will review the impact of giving hazard pay increases of 2 percent, 3 percent or 4 percent to full time police officers other than the chief. The council has been asked to choose a rate of increase and amend the rate of pay for full time officers.

The total salary increases for the 12 officers would amount to $8,233.55, $12,335.33 or $16,447.10 annually. Hourly pay for officers, corporals and sergeants would increase from $16.27 to $16.60, $16.76 or $16.92. The hourly pay for lieutenants would increase from $17.51 to $17.86, $18.04 or $18.21.

The council also will consider whether to annex the 66-acre former Dix greenhouse site and construct a truck entrance to facilitate commercial use of the property. The current owners are willing for the property to be annexed, after which the city would list the site on Missouri Location One to attract commercial development. The truck entrance would be done on state right-of-way property.

In other business, the council will:

• Consider a resolution that would exclude St. Francois County from inclusion in the St. Louis air quality non-containment area;

• Decide whether to reappoint Sean McCarver as municipal judge to a new two-year term;

• Continue to have Neubrand, Baranovich and Co. LLC perform accounting services;

• Revise the ordinance addressing signs in Industrial Park;

• Redeem or renew the capital improvement certificate of deposit that matures Nov. 14;

• Hire GWS Contractors for installation of the Leadington booster station;

• Approve the annual Christmas holiday decorating contest; and

• Approve the purchase and distribution of hams or turkeys to city employees during the holiday season.

Paula Barr is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 172 or at pbarr@dailyjournalonline.com.

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